2025 Arizona Cardinals off season thread.

[Stout]

Heck I'm going to set the minimum for me at 10.

And that is the absolute floor here. These baby step, minute gains aren't enough. Year 3 of a successful rebuild results in a playoff run. Or it's, you know, not a successful rebuild.

 

[BirdGangThing]

Heck I'm going to set the minimum for me at 10.

And that is the absolute floor here. These baby step, minute gains aren't enough. Year 3 of a successful rebuild results in a playoff run. Or it's, you know, not a successful rebuild.

xc_hide_links_from_guests_guests_error_hide_media

 

[Harry]

Trey Benson Should Develop Into Second RB1

Benson has the ability to be a top starting RB when Conner is done, maybe sooner. He can be special. He’s a Emmitt Smith type player although maybe not reaching those heights.

 

[Chopper0080]

AZ Cardinals FAs to keep an eye on heading into the draft.

LJ Collier
Roy Lopez

The Cardinals re-signing one or both of these players will impact the Cardinals draft plans. Only so many roster spots for interior defensive players in an odd front.

Justin Jones
Bilal Nichols
Darius Robinson
Dante Stills

The Cardinals will probably look to add at least two players to that mix. If they re-sign both Collier and Lopez, then they are likely not going to sign a mid level FA DL AND draft a IDL. 7 is probably the maximum the Cardinals want to invest in a IDL room outside of min guys and UDFAs.

 

[Ronin]

Best Defensive Line Class In Years Awaits Cardinals Choices

 

[kerouac9]

Benson has the ability to be a top starting RB when Conner is done, maybe sooner. He can be special. He’s a Emmitt Smith type player although maybe not reaching those heights.

Emmitt Smith had 900+ yards and 11 TDs his rookie season.

 

[Crimson Warrior]

And that is the absolute floor here. These baby step, minute gains aren't enough. Year 3 of a successful rebuild results in a playoff run. Or it's, you know, not a successful rebuild.

I agree with you Stout!

But I think nine wins probably buys all the leaders another year. Just my opinion though.

 

[Ronin]

Cardinals' expectations still high for Trey Benson, Ojulari

Arizona Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon is expecting big things out of a pair of youngsters in Trey Benson and BJ Ojulari in 2025.

arizonasports.com

 

[daves]

Emmitt Smith had 900+ yards and 11 TDs his rookie season.

What starter was he backing up?

 

[kerouac9]

What starter was he backing up?

Is your contention that we were playing the weaker player because Conner is a good leader or something?

Trey Benson had one TD last season. Zero indications that he could meet the standard of a hall of famer—especially one who achieved that status mainly by staying healthy despite a sometimes crazy workload and just compiling stats.

 

[daves]

Is your contention that we were playing the weaker player because Conner is a good leader or something?

Not at all.

Is your contention that Benson can't be "a top starting RB when Conner is done" because he didn't have Emmit Smith's 900+ yards and 9 TDs in his rookie season? What was the point of listing Smith's numbers when you know that Smith had no legitimate competition at the RB position his rookie year, while Benson played behind Conner who had 1100 yards and 8 TDs?

 

[kerouac9]

Not at all.

Is your contention that Benson can't be "a top starting RB when Conner is done" because he didn't have Emmit Smith's 900+ yards and 9 TDs in his rookie season? What was the point of listing Smith's numbers when you know that Smith had no legitimate competition at the RB position his rookie year, while Benson played behind Conner who had 1100 yards and 8 TDs?

Mainly because Benson wasn't a very good prospect coming out of college, and didn't show much in his limited playing time before he went down with an injury.

Bruh. Emmitt Smith was selected 17th overall. If Benson had that ability, the Cards would have been insane to keep him on the bench for Plodder James Conner. Benson couldn't stay healthy with just 69 touches (nice).

It's obviously impossible to prove a negative -- you know this very well. The responsibility is on the person arguing that Trey Benson could be as good as arguably the greatest running back of all time to provide some evidence that is the case. Because the counter-argument is fairly obvious.

Maybe we should start with the assertion that Trey Benson could still become the best running back in his draft class. Bucky Irving started just three games for the Bucs last season and still managed to earn a lion's share of the carries over the course of the year.

And this isn't even arguing after the fact. There were plenty of concerns about the workload Conner was taking on throughout the year and people asking why Benson couldn't see the field more.

Benson couldn't unseat Emari Demercado, my dude. Let's pump the brakes on the hype train.

 

[Chopper0080]

Just on principle, I struggle referencing any HOF RB when discussing Trey Benson. I understand Conner is a very good RB, and am happy the Cardinals extended him. That said, if Benson showed he was "that guy" last year, they would have let Conner walk. Dude is still 1st team all hype until he actually shows it on the field. People forget the NFL is a meritocracy. No team will prioritize a 30 year old RB over a 22 year old RB who is better.